Trio tied in Brittany

Frenchman Baptiste Chapellan joined compatriot Benjamin Nicolay and Austria’s Roland Steiner in a three-way tie for the lead in the Allianz Open Côtes D’Armor Bretagne.

Chapellan, third in the Telenet Trophy in Belgium two weeks ago, once again hit form with eight birdies in his five under par round of 65 at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André.

A birdie on the penultimate hole put the 23 year old from Médoc into a share of the first round lead with Nicolay and Steiner, another player enjoying a good run after his tenth place in the Kärnten Golf Open presented by Mazda last week.

English pair Jamie Moul and Tommy Fleetwood, Frenchman Tony Raillard, Welshman Kyron Sullivan, Swede Andreas Högberg and Austrian Florian Praegant are all a shot back at four under on a packed leaderboard.

Steiner said: “I just kept on going from last week really. I’m playing the same way, the same kind of golf as I played last week in Austria. I’ve been playing very well for a few months and enjoying it a lot. It’s a nice feeling when you can do your job like this and go out and play round after round of very good golf.

“It was a great score today. I had seven birdies and could have had a few more. It was a great way to finish with three birdies – all three were good drives and a wedge into the green. I hit it close and holed the putts, which makes it sound very simple but when you’re playing well it is simple.

“It was just like in Klagenfurt last week – there was very little wind and you know that if you stay patient your chances will come. This is one of the nicer courses on the Challenge Tour schedule. It is in very good condition – even the greens.

“It’s one of those courses that’s great to play if the weather is okay but if it’s not so good and very windy it is a lot tougher.”